Folk Alliance International has announced a partnership with 13 music export organizations from around the world for an industry “first” nine-week program called Global Music Match (GMM).
Imagined by Sounds Australia, Showcase Scotland Expo, and Canada’s East Coast Music Association (ECMA), Global Music Match is a pilot initiative created to continue building the profile of local artists in international music markets during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Breaking artists into a new territory or country is a difficult process at the best of times, so the GMM program is designed as a unique response to the limitations imposed on the live music sector at this time. The initiative makes use of social media and peer-to-peer collaboration to increase networks and exposure for export-ready artists internationally, providing a groundwork for future international touring development.
The program will also support participating artists to upskill their social media and interviewing activity, as well as encourage cross-border collaboration by connecting musicians from around the world.
Working with an industry coach, artists are grouped into teams of six with musicians from different cultures and countries. Each week, musicians from each country introduce another artist from their team to their social media followers to cross-promote each other’s music and careers to their respective audiences, until all the artists have been presented.
Six artists based in the U.S. have been selected and placed on different global teams including Kreole rock and soul musician Sean Ardoin; rhythm and blues harp player ad vocalist Calvin Arsenia; Latin musician Gina Chavez; folk singer Charly Lowry; American roots artist Crys Matthews; and folk singer-songwriter SaulPaul.
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central